Americas second least visited National park

national park of American Samoa

Seen all fifty states, why not check out some of the other US territories?

The National Park of American Samoa is a national park on the American territory of American Samoa, distributed across three separate islands: Tutuila, Ofu-Olosega, and Ta‘ū. The park includes coral reefs and rain forest and is popular for hiking, snorkeling, and scuba diving, although the primary purpose of the park is that of preservation of Samoa's unique natural resources. Of the park's 10,500 acres (4,200 ha), 7,970 acres (3,230 ha) is land and 2,550 acres (1,030 ha) is water. It is the only American national park south of the equator.

The National Park of American Samoa was established on October 31, 1988 by Public Law but the National Park System could not buy the land because of traditional communal land system. This was resolved on September 9, 1993, when the National Park Service entered into a 50-year lease for the park land from the Samoan village councils.

In 2009, the park encountered major damage from a tsunami. The visitor center and main office were destroyed and staff were reported missing.

The U.S. Congress established the National Park . .

“ . . to preserve and protect the tropical forest and archeological and cultural resources of American Samoa, and of associated reefs, to maintain the habitat of flying foxes, preserve the ecological balance of the Samoan tropical forest, and, consistent with the preservation of these resources, to provide for the enjoyment of the unique resources of the Samoan tropical forest by visitors from around the world.”

Visitors to American Samoa have the unique opportunity to explore a U.S. national park at its earliest stages of development. If you want to visit a world-class national park before everyone else does, now is the time. What the park currently lacks in facilities, it makes up in spectacular South Pacific beauty, and some of the world's most scenic beaches. With a bit of adventurer spirit, you can find secluded villages, unusual plants and animals, coral sand beaches, and highly scenic seashores.

http://www.nps.gov/npsa/index.htm